A dead god. Is that all I am?

NO! I won't give in! I yet live! I won't be a dead anything! The power is MINE!!!

Cold earth surrounded him, and there was no answer to his ravings.

---

It was snowing in Imil.

Now seeing that Imil was located far north on the continent, it would seem to bring no surprise to the average traveler. Of course, the average traveler kept to the central and southern portions of the continent, partly because of this reasoning. "It's always snowing in Imil," was a common phrase passed down from the earliest visitors to the region.

Right now the residents of the town huddled inside their houses and wondered when the weather would clear again. Save for one stubborn man whose only concession to the weather was to take his exercise by carrying in more wood for his stove, no one bothered to venture outside. The snow continued to pile up, and eventually even the diehard outdoorsman had to abandon his plans and seek shelter from the storm.

When night finally fell over the town, the doors and windows had been buried well below the drifts.

Sitting beside a roaring fire Jenna watched Grandma preparing stew for supper. The elderly woman would have bustled about, but the lack of space kept movement to a minimum. Counting the children there were six people in a space more designed for two or three, though Megan and Justin were being quite still at the moment.

Mia had suggested sleeping over with the eldest residents of Imil, not only to conserve fuel, but to keep an eye on the elderly couple. Needless to say, they were welcomed with open arms and "Grandma" (as she insisted that Jenna refer to her) had quietly taken the visitor aside to explain that, "Although they run around helping other people, they don't take too great care for themselves. Can't have them young ones starving because they're too tired to fix something up for themselves."

The arrangement seemed to be satisfactory to the last members of the Mercury clan, so Jenna nodded and grinned along with the old woman. Whatever else one could say, at least they ate well in the village. 'Very well indeed'; as the aroma from the large kettle reached her Jenna shivered a little and burrowed a little deeper into nest of blankets that she sat on. Beside her, Megan stifled a wiggle.

"Mia." The little girl's voice sounded from her burrow. The cleric turned her gentle gaze to her charge.

"Yes Megan?"

"I'm cold." This came out as a plaintive whimper, calculated to break even the hardest of hearts. Mia's eyes had tears in them as she whispered her reply. "I know little one."

Jenna opened her arms to the younger girl and pulled her onto her lap. "Come on Megan, it'll be alright. You can sit here with me, okay?"

The child snuggled in to the embrace, leaving Mia to look gratefully at her friend as she helped Grandma to scoop out the stew into thick porcelain bowls. Grandpa hobbled over from the window, leaning lightly on his staff. "Well. Hmm. Yes."

Mia turned to regard him with her gentle gaze. "What is it?"

The old man looked up from his mumblings. An immense grin split his face as he nearly leapt into his place. "It's time to eat!"

The cleric blinked and nodded. "Yes it is. What does that have to do with what you were mumbling about?"

The old man looked over at her with a twinkle in his eye. "It doesn't have anything at all to do with what I was saying before. I was just thinking to myself aloud is all, and then it was time to eat."

Grandma passed the confused girl and patted her shoulder consolingly. "Don't worry dear, Grandpa just loves to tease you all."

"I see."

Jenna smiled. It looked like her friend was still slightly confused, but she wasn't going to admit it to anyone. Mia always managed to take things so well. It was amazing how she kept so calm in so many of the situations where Jenna had lost her temper or composure.

'If we didn't both like Isaac so much, this would be the ideal friendship.'

Of course, the snow kept falling outside, and on the inside the little group ate beef stew and speculated on what had caused the disaster. This scene was repeated in every house in Imil, and as of yet, no answers were forthcoming…

---

"I see then that thou hast recovered thine revered place of rest. Hast thou any news for us, or riddles to solve that hint at the solution to the problem?" Frog's voice remained dry as he addressed the Guru of Time. His hand rested lightly upon the hilt of the Masamune, the sword riding quietly in its sheath. 'Perhaps the twins be listening to hear tell word of their "Father".' A grim smile came to the amphibian's face.

Gaspar stood still as a statue under the lamp post; only his beard quivered a little as he spoke. "It is our conclusion that our world has been moved out of its place and is being joined with another."

There was silence in heaven for about an hour…

Magus blinked.

"How…?" He began his sentence, but trailed off as he pondered how to finish it.

"It's impossible!"

Lucca was gaping like a fish, her mind not comprehending the magnitude of the power that could do such a thing. Her scientific brain was saying that this could not be, yet if the gurus said that it had occurred…

Frog merely nodded, as though this happened everyday. "What then? Is it possible to undo that which hath been done? Praytell, what are we to do?"

Gaspar shrugged, his hands resting firmly on his cane. "Not even the wise can see all ends; or beginnings for that matter. Melchior thinks that things will be permanent, and I cannot tell you what I see of the matter."

The last member of the party spoke up, Marle having remained silent for as long as she could endure doing so. "Excuse me Gaspar, can you tell me where Chrono is?"

The elderly man blinked twice and looked over at the princess. "Ah, right. Oh, your Chrono is doing fine, although he swallowed rather more of the sea than was healthy for him. He's found a friend to take care of him while he tries to find his way back to you again."

Marle's face glowed at the news. "He's alive!"

"Of course he is." Magus' words were blunt. The Zealian prince frowned at the girls, wondering how they could have failed to see. "He is after all a Chrono Trigger. Pure potential. How does one kill that?"

Spekkio chose that time to resume his dancing and bouncing around. Only, this time he had a much greater area to work with…

---

"NOOOOOO!!!"

'It can't be!' Garet fell to his knees in the sand. 'All of the sailors, all the passengers. Felix. All of them gone?!'

"No. Some of them had to of survived."

The fire adept straightened his shoulders and climbed to his feet. "They have to be out there somewhere, and I'm going to find them. Slinging the sheath to his sword over his shoulder, he started resolutely up the beach, never heeding the sand that stuck to his clothes and made travel awkward.

At each step the ocean pounded against the shore, bringing more pieces of wreckage to the beach. Stubbornly he pushed on, refusing to give in to the overwhelming sense of despair that haunted his steps. Finally he had to stop and rest.

Dropping down to the sand, he slumped forward and braced his head with his hands. 'Jenna! What will she think when she hears that her brother probably drowned? How can I ever take news like that home?'

The light tap on his shoulder shocked him to no end. Startled, Garet looked wildly around him before his gaze settled on the young man who had tried to get his attention. "Ivan! The ship! There was a huge wave and then we went under and I can't find Felix and...!"

Ivan laughed softly, his blonde hair blowing in the sea air. "Don't worry about Felix, he got to shore and started helping the other survivors. He was worried when you didn't show up, so when Sheba and I got here, he asked me to come find you. You just went the wrong direction on the beach is all."

Garet blinked wearily. "You mean I just had to turn around? Argh!"

Ivan patted his shoulder consolingly. "Don't worry, it could have happened to anyone. Let's get you back, shall we?"

With a surprising display of strength, he hauled the taller boy to his feet and supported him as they made their way slowly back towards the other shipwreck survivors. After what seemed to be an interminable length of time, they came in sight of the crude camp that was taking shape. Driftwood burned in two large fires, around which were gathered a great portion of the sailors. Felix rushed over as soon as he caught sight of the pair.

"Garet!" The venus adept looked quite upset, though relief seemed to pour through his expression as he drew nearer. "Gods! How could you do that to me? I thought I was going to have to return home and tell the folks there that you drowned when I dragged you along with me on a trip!"

Garet nodded, still weary beyond words. "Same here."

Felix started to speak again, but was interrupted by someone poking him in the arm. He turned to see Sheba shaking her head at him. "Later Felix. You should help Ivan get him over to the fire. He's still not dried out totally, and he looks too tired do anything right now."

Felix winced. "Right. I'm sorry Garet."

Gingerly he grabbed an arm and helped drag the boy over to the fire. As the flames crackled and hissed from the damp wood, Garet finally began to feel more like himself again. He fell asleep.

Overhead the stars began to twinkle in the gathering darkness. Felix looked around the group huddling around the fire. It was good to see so many faces, he mused, 'Especially after such a great wave.' Beside him, Sheba cuddled closer, happy to be with him again.

Ivan's eyes were laughing at him, though the boy never said a word. Felix curled an arm around Sheba and adjusted the blanket to cover them both. Looking back at Ivan, he shook his head. Things had changed then, since he had last seen them. Ivan wasn't nearly as timid as he had been before. 'That's good...' he thought, stiffling a yawn.

Sleep didn't take long to claim him. His eyes closed and his thoughts faded away, even as the darkness made the stars' light become more pronounced.